Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly could be set to use the same transfer tactic that the Blues adopted in the previous two windows in order to seal a potentially game-changing signing. Since Boehly and co took over at Stamford Bridge last year, over £600million has been spent on incoming players and the British transfer record was also broken.
Boehly spent £105m to take Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea on January transfer deadline day, though the Argentine has begun to pay back the spend with an assist for Kai Havertz in the Blues’ 3-1 over Leicester on Saturday. Despite Boehly’s huge outlay since arriving in west London, many have expressed the view that another striker is needed to complete Graham Potter’s star-studded lineup.
Chelsea could eye up a big-money striker in the summer and have been linked with Napoli forward Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian has spearheaded Luciano Spalletti’s stunning attack that has taken the Naples side 18 points clear at the top of the Serie A table, in part thanks to the 24-year-old’s 19 goals in 21 league starts.
He could be on the move in the summer for a potential £100m fee, which appears to interest those at Chelsea. Journalist Simon Phillips explained that club insiders wish to bring Osimhen to Stamford Bridge ahead of next season. “Osimhen is liked by Chelsea and many at the club would see him as the dream striker signing,” he told Get Football News Italy. “But, he would not be cheap and Chelsea are weighing up other options as well. Osimhen will have a lot of interest coming in for him.”
Chelsea will not be the only club tracking Osimhen, in a pursuit that could be reminiscent of their previous transfer strategy under Boehly. Manchester United, Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain are among the teams hoping to land the Nigeria forward this summer but the Blues will hope to hijack any transfer dealings in order to land Osimhen.
In January, Arsenal were thought to have been clear frontrunners to sign Mykhaylo Mudryk but Chelsea swooped in with a mammoth £89.5m offer to steal the Ukrainian from under the Gunners’ nose. Earlier in the window, Mikel Arteta’s outfit and United were in talks over a loan move for Joao Felix but Chelsea gazumped both to sign the Portuguese forward.
Beating the likes of United and Spurs would be reminiscent of hijacks for Mudryk and Felix, a tactic Boehly evidently prefers and Osimhen has already opened the door to a potential Premier League move.
“I think it is an ambition of all players,” said Osimhen earlier this month, when asked about moving to a Premier League club.
“And who knows, maybe one day. Right now, I can assure you that it hasn’t even crossed my mind. It would distract me from what has been a beautiful season. Only Napoli. That’s all.”
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